Apparatus for Containment of Sanitary Products Maintaining a Constant Airtight Seal

ABSTRACT

The invention is a waste disposal system, particularly constructed to package and collect feminine hygiene and sanitary products, which creates an airtight containment space by use of paired arms which simultaneously seals and feed a continuous, plastic tube type bag fed through the apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

None.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

None.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention concerns resolution of struggles to handle malodorous waste disposal, particularly feminine sanitary napkins.

2. Background Art

Current/previous sanitary product disposal units in practice use a variety of methods for collection and disposal, including flip lids, hands-free step-pedal operated, “modesty flaps” to prevent visibility and odors, and use of chemicals to reduce odors. Some require individual wrapping or bagging of materials. Regardless of these, the risk of cross contamination and odor release still exists, at varying degrees based on the method utilized.

Existing packaging devices often use heat sealing using an assembly-line operation of a series of products. Once a package is sealed, the packaged products are separated at the heat seal. They also use complex conveyor systems to propel materials and web for packaging. These systems are not designed for personal intermittent use suitable for disposal of sanitary napkins or diapers.

The industry needs a portable method of storing personal malodorous waste items that is reliable and does not depend on overly complicated processes requiring power supplies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a waste disposal apparatus that allows for sealed containment of diapers or soiled feminine sanitary products. The invention maintains a constant barrier between the interior space inside a collection device containing soiled materials and the exterior environment. Coupled with a form-fitting waste bin, it provides a touch-free means to sanitarily dispose of waste, improving the cleanliness and sanitary conditions for users, effectively eliminating risk of exposure and escape of odor. When used in a bin structure that employs a door for removing the filled bag, the effect of the apparatus also protects cleaning crews performing bathroom maintenance from the same risks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the apparatus, including the plastic disposal tube, and section lines A-A′.

FIG. 3 shows a side sectional view of the feed assembly along lines A-A′.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Apparatus 11 is designed to collect and store used feminine hygiene and sanitary products by creating an airtight Containment Space 51 in which the waste is stored. Users place waste into a Receptacle Space 23 formed at the top of the Apparatus 11, and is deposited in the Containment Space 51 by operation of a Sealing Arm Assembly 33. In the current embodiment, operation of the Sealing Arm Assembly 33 involves opposing arms 33 a, 33 b, and 33 c, with matching convex and concave surfaces that move from the side of the Feed Assembly 15 to the top of the Receptacle Space 23, meeting and simultaneously sealing a continuous feed plastic Tube Bag 25 fed from a cartridge fixed on the top of the Feed Assembly 15, which is affixed to the top of a Trash Container 13, and the Trash Container defining the Containment Space 51.

Throughout this document, elements of the invention will be identified as “near” or “far” elements. “Near” elements are those elements that are associated with the same side of the Feed Assembly 15 as the one on which the Control Knob 21 is mounted. “Far” elements are mounted on the side of the Feed Assembly that is opposite of the Control Knob 21. “Near” elements will be associated with Side Wall 45 a; “Far” elements will be associated with Side Wall 45 b.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the Apparatus 11, which comprises a Trash Container 13 and a Feed Assembly 15. A Tube Bag 25 is affixed on the top of the Feed Assembly 15, with the end of the bag descending into the Feed Assembly's interior.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the apparatus 11, displaying a receptacle space 23 formed by the continuous-feed plastic disposal tube 25 and the sealing assembly arms which are in the bottom closed rest position 1.

In FIG. 3, and in the currently favored embodiment, the Near Track 43 a is attached to three Paired Arms 33 a, 33 b, 33 c, connected to a Near Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chain 35. The Chain 35 follows in a track shaped similar to a equilateral triangle.

The Control Knob 21 is mounted so a user may rotate it from the exterior of the Feed Assembly 15. The Knob 21 extends through Side Wall 45 a, where it is mounted on one end of a Drive Shaft 21 b, along with a Near Drive Gear 21 a. An identical Far Drive Gear 21 c is mounted on the other end of the Drive Shaft 21 b. The Drive Shaft 21 b is mounted between the Side Walls 45 a 45 b so that the two Drive Gears 21 a 21 c interact with the Near Track 43 a and Far Track 44 a.

Near Track 43 a and Far Track 44 a drive two mirrored identical tracks, Near Track 43 b and Far Track 44 b, which share the central vertical portion of the triangular path, as shown in FIG. 3. In the current embodiment, the two tracks are geared so that Near Track 43 a and 43 b are in geared contact on the vertical side of the triangular track; Far Track 44 a and 44 b are similarly in contact. The resulting construction causes movement of all the Paired Arms to move along the triangular path of the tracks when the Control Knob 21 is rotated, as it rotates Drive Shaft 21 b and the Drive Gears 21 a 21 c, which moves the tracks and the Paired Arms mounted on the tracks.

The ends of the Paired Arms 33 a 33 b 33 c in the Sealing Arm Assembly 33 travel along two Tracks 43 a and 43 b mounted between two parallel Side Walls 45 a and 45 b. The Tracks trace an equilateral triangular path, about which the Paired Arms 33 a 33 b 33 c are moved by means of a Control Knob 21 and gear structure, or alternatively, a motor. The Sealing Arm Assembly 33 creates and maintains a constant barrier between the Containment Space 51 that contains soiled materials and the environment surrounding the device. With the exception of the leading edge of the Tube Bag 25, each specific instance of a seal in the bag is temporary, while the airtight separation of the interior and exterior areas is continuously maintained.

Many other configurations are possible, including use of a worm gear transferring motion from the rotation of the Control Knob 21 to matching gears that would move all the tracks synchronously. Servo or stepper motors could also be used to drive each track.

When driven by operation of the Control Knob 21, the Paired Arms 33 rotate among the three rest positions referred to as the “bottom closed” position 1, “top outside” position 2, and “bottom outside” position 3. This process can be further automated by an electric motor that is actuated by a button that replaces the control knob 21 and a motor control circuit that moves the Sealing Arm Assembly 33 among the three rest positions.

Waste products are placed in the Receptacle Space 23 by a user, who lowers the waste into the top of the Receptacle Space 23, where it enters the continuous feed plastic disposal Tube Bag 25. When a user operates the Control Knob 21, the arms in position 2 move toward each other, meeting in the middle of the Receptacle Space 23, clamping on the plastic Tube Bag 25 and pulling the continuous-feed tube 25 down from the top as the arms descend to the bottom closed position 1. The Paired Arms 33 create and maintain an airtight seal as they move from the top outside position 2 down to the lower rest position 1. At the same time, the arms which were in position 1 move along the track and rest in position 3 and the arms at position 3 move over to position 2.

It should be noted that practitioners in the art could contrive any number of possible configurations of gears and chains to move the arms. As shown in the figures, the arms in the current embodiment fit together with concave and convex surfaces that fit snugly together, but the arms may also be of other shapes, so long as the arms are capable of clutching the continuous-feed plastic tube and pulling it down as the arms move. In use, one consideration is to use triangular-shaped arms, which easily self-orient themselves to grasp the Tube Bag 25.

Though the embodiment discussed here has three arms, the invention could be constructed to have a different of arms. For example, a four-arm systems could be used in an embodiment with four rest positions. The first embodiment included a two-arm system that used a more complex worm gear that moved the top arm in while the bottom arm was relatively stationary, and then once the seal at the top was made, the top arm moved down to the bottom position while the bottom arm rose to the top outside position. Irrespective of whether the arm motion is automated, or the number of arms varies, the important point is that the moving arms create a sealed barrier while waste is moved from the receptacle area to the waste storage area contained within the trash bin.

As discussed, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but can be employed in various equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. 

1) An apparatus comprising: a. a Trash Container; b. a Feed Assembly, which sits on the top of the Trash Container, comprising: i. At least two Side Walls which form an entrance to the Trash Container; ii. A continuous feed plastic Tube Bag, mounted on the top exterior of the Feed Assembly, with the Bag's end extending into the Trash Container. iii. Control Knob, mounted on the Feed Assembly's exterior, and connected to a Drive Shaft that extends from the interior of one side wall to the other; iv. Two Drive Gears, mounted that are on both ends of the Drive Shaft, constructed so that the teeth of the Gears drive a Sealing Arm Assembly; v. Sealing Arm Assembly, comprising: A) At least two Paired Arms, with one arm from each pair mounted to one of four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, each Arm positioned to be the mirror image of its paired arm mounted on the same Side Wall; B) Four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, which hold the Paired Arms in place and move when actuated by the Control Knob; two Chains are mounted on the Side Wall closest to the Control Knob, and two on the opposite Side Wall. The Chains are mounted in Side Wall channels shaped like an equilateral triangle, and the channels are constructed such that each Paired Arm is forced to meet with its positional twin arm mounted on the adjacent Drive Chain, so that the arms grasp the Tube Bag between them into the Containment area when the Control Knob is rotated. 2) An apparatus comprising: a. a Trash Container; b. a Feed Assembly, which sits on the top of the Trash Container, comprising: i. At least two Side Walls which form an entrance to the Trash Container; ii. A continuous feed plastic Tube Bag, mounted on the top exterior of the Feed Assembly, with the Bag's end extending into the Trash Container. iii. Control Button, mounted on the Feed Assembly's exterior, and connected to an electric motor; iv. Electric Motor, which operates a Drive Shaft that extends from the interior of one side wall to the other, configured to advance all the Paired Arms one position when the Control Button is pushed. v. Two Drive Gears, mounted that are on both ends of the Drive Shaft, constructed so that the teeth of the Gears drive a Sealing Arm Assembly; vi. Sealing Arm Assembly, comprising: A) At least two Paired Arms, with one arm from each pair mounted to one of four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, each Arm positioned to be the mirror image of its paired arm mounted on the same Side Wall; B) Four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, which hold the Paired Arms in place and move when actuated by the Control Button; two Chains are mounted on the Side Wall closest to the Control Knob, and two on the opposite Side Wall. The Chains are mounted in Side Wall channels shaped like an equilateral triangle, and the channels are constructed such that each Paired Arm is forced to meet with its positional twin arm mounted on the adjacent Drive Chain, so that the arms grasp the Tube Bag between them into the Containment area when the Control Knob is rotated. 3) A method of disposing of unsanitary waste, including: a) Placing a waste product in a receptacle area of the trash can; b) Causing a set of sealing arms to clasp the top of the Tube Bag, and c) Lowering the waste by lowering the bottom arm and then separating the arms to allow the waste to follow. 4) A method as in claim 3, where the step of “causing a set of sealing arms” is a control knob that, when rotated, drives the motion of the sealing arms. 5) A method as in claim 3, where the step of “causing a set of sealing arms” is a button or switch that energizes motors that drive the motion of the sealing arms. 